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Mashrou' Leila at Club Soda, October 9, 2019
Club Soda hosted the band Mashrou’ Leila last Wednesday for a night of performances, music, dance and video projection. The group did not disappoint using years of experience to entertain their fans, who tightly filled the small venue.
Mahshou’ Leila originates from an interesting place. What began as an open space for students to jam at the American University of Beirut turned into a meeting point for the four artists that now form the band: lead singer Hamed Sinno, violinist Haig Papazian, percussionist Carl Gerges and Firas Abou Fakher who plays the keyboard, guitar and bass. They use their lived experience to talk about issues that impact them and the people closest to them such as mental health, armed conflict, racism, toxic masculinity, homophobia, unstable political situations and well beyond.
Sinno also talked about their recent ban from Egypt. Their last concert in Egypt was in Sept. 2017 at the Music Park Festival in Cairo. The turnout was huge with 35 000 people showing up. It was a wonderful and monumental performance. But the next day they got news that people got arrested for waving rainbow flags and other pro-LGBT gestures among other reasons. They were officially banned afterwards.
“We weren’t even sure we were gonna keep performing after that,” said Sinno during a phone interview.
But their true message transcends the injustice they face as a band. They want to convey a message of resilience for the people listening.
“This song is about learning that some fights can’t be won,” said Sinno introducing the new song “Cavalry” about the ban, “and sometimes all you can do is say ‘f*ck you’ and walk away.”
What makes the band special is their relatability with the people who share their lived experiences as first generation immigrants and racialized minorities who sought to settle down in another country only to be faced with a plethora of different social issues. They speak to a whole new generation of people who choose to see themselves as citizens of the world and not as individuals defined by the confines of their nation.
But, of course, Mashrou’ Leila’s fanbase goes beyond Arabic speakers or members or various diasporas. Mashrou’ Leila is a staple of the indie and independent music scene. They have set a precedent and an example for artists around the world who choose to trust the internet over record labels and the people in power to get their music out to their audience. They prove that anyone can gain an audience if they have something powerful to say and a public to charm, impact and, more importantly, represent.
In a rapidly growing age of Spotify and music streaming platforms, more people than ever before are listening to music in languages foreign to them. We are shifting from language-restricted content to a new era of music consumption that is curated to a humanity that is increasingly embracing globalization. American music, K-Pop, Spanish pop, Mashrou’ Leila … isn’t music just music? The answer seems obvious, but the band reinforces the point for people who may not have gotten it yet.
The concert opened with the Montreal-based rapper Narcity. With a rap style that combines humour, insight and intellect, Narcity discussed serious themes such as the ongoing Yemen genocide and conflict in Iraq where he is originally from. In the crowd stood a sea of Montrealers with a very similar lived experience.
Mashrou’ Leila played songs from their recent compilation album The Beirut School such as “Radio Romance” and classics like “Raksit Leila”. Their show was electric. Fans got to dance and sing along to their favourites but also hear the pain and emotion in Sinno’s voice performing “Marrikh” in a dark room with a video projection of stars in space.
Mashrou’ Leila is notorious for having cynical lyrics but, like Sinno says, pessimism often comes from a place of being optimistic that the world can change. They combined their cynicism with jovial music, flamboyant adornments and several tricks up their sleeve, one being the lead singer’s white microphone he pulled out mid song or bursting into contemporary dance during a musical bridge.
What felt the most special was the band’s love and connection with their fanbase. They treated the crowd like long lost friends talking to them and laughing with them.
And for people like me who didn’t understand a single word that was sung, I felt like I understood everything that was said. I left the venue hopeful for the future of music - and of the world - one that I hope will be coloured by many different languages.
Jean-Philippe Giroux is the host of Hidden Gems, a show focusing on artists outside the realm of popular music in Canada. It plays every Thursday at 3:00 PM EST.
Sustainable MTL, Hunger Strike, MLK Facebook
Luca Caruso-Moro
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LOCAL
Montreal is expected to open public consultations on a new waste reduction plan next month.
CBC News is reporting every Montrealer will need to cut their waste by 10 kilograms per year to reach a zero-waste goal by 2030.
Other plans include a refurbished recycling plan and reduction of single use plastics.
INDIGENOUS
The Kanesatake hunger strike has continued for over one week.
Al Harrington, an Ojibway man from Shoal Lake 39 began his hunger strike on October 11th to pressure the federal government to impose a short term moratorium on all development on Kanesatake traditional territory.
Harrington addressed the public via Facebook live on Thursday.
HARRINGTON “My health is good. I really want to stress that out, that I’m being staking care of here in the community. … I’m going to continue on until The Creator helps us, guides us.”
WORLD
Mark Zuckerberg is coming under fire from Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter after the CEO referenced Dr. King in a landmark speech.
ZUCKERBERG “In times of social tension our impusle is often to pull back on free expression. Because, we want the progress that comes of free expression, but not the tension. We saw this when Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his famous Letter From a Birmingham Jail, when he was put in jail for protesting peacefully.“
Zuckerberg gave a 30 minute address at Georgetown University on Thursday defending free speech on Facebook.
King’s daughter, Bernice King, tweeted her reaction to the speech, writing quote “I’d like to help Facebook better understand the challenges #MLK faced from disinformation campaigns launched by politicians. These campaigns created an atmosphere for his assassination.”
Joker 2019: An R-Rated Dark Comedy Film That Incites Laughter While Also Tackling Mental Illness
What if we took a comedy director seriously? I feel like this is the question that notable R-rated comedy director Todd Phillips proposes to the audience with his newest film, Joker. For an example of a past attempt, he directed 2016’s War Dogs which took an interesting spin on a serious war story like that of Americans fighting in the Middle East. Some could say he took a play out of the Adam McKay book of directing (McKay often puts comedic emphasis on serious topics as well - like in 2015’s The Big Short). Though a little more underwhelming than the aforementioned film, Joker plays on Phillips’ ability to make an R-rated comedy more profound.
Joker can be described as a dark comedy that is also in essence an origin story to the villain of Gotham city of the Batman universe. This will also satisfy fans of Batman comics by enhancing the series’ lore through a new installment - of course, as a result people will groan about yet another superhero movie, but this is simply just today’s reality.
Prior to becoming the Joker, we meet Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) who has a job as a clown, spreading cheer at childrens’ hospitals and doing other odd clown-related jobs. However, things don’t always go as planned because criminal acts in Gotham city are on the rise and Arthur always seems to fall as victim. To make things worse, he also deals with a condition where he has random fits of laughter, which mostly don’t fall in line with the punchlines of his jokes, making for a rather unnerving display. In essence, his mental health alienates him from others. His dream or aspiration is to be a standup comedian and make people laugh, brought out brilliantly through Phoenix's performance, saying “My mother always tells me to smile and put on a happy face. She told me I had a purpose: to bring laughter and joy to the world!”
The other side of Gotham sees the rich and elites portrayed by Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen) who is running for mayor. Wayne sees people like Arthur as the literal clowns of society. The plot thickens when Arthur loses his job and his life starts spiralling out of control as he descends into violence. Without spoiling anything, the film continues to divulge in Arthur and Wayne’s spiraling relationship as they both descend into each other’s madness.
Unfortunately, I have to say that all the film’s praise should go to Joaquin Phoenix who delivers one the best performances of the year to date. His displayed mannerisms down to the laugh, nervous ticks, and dancing show the full talent of Phoenix on full cylinders. From what I've seen, critics have not been enamoured by the film mostly because of its notions of violence and portrayal of an inherent societal toxicity within the real world. However, in response, I’ll propose this notion to the aforementioned critics…
Can an R-rated comedy director direct a film not only outside of his usual genre, but also offer the audience a mirror into what society is like for people suffering from mental illness? With this question proposed, I feel that Phillips is making a statement that we should take comedy directors more seriously and that they should be able to work outside of their respective home genres. In Joker, Phillips has successfully created a dark comedy based on a comic book supervillain that not only adds mythology to the established comic book series, but questions the state of 2019's mental health landscape when the film’s protagonist succumbs to his madness, rather than successfully being treated. To me this is the brilliance of Joker and I’ll let Mr. Phillips have the last laugh, no matter what critics say.
Remi is the host of At The Movies which features everything new and noteworthy in the world of cinema. The show goes live every Tuesday at 8:00 AM.
“Sorry We Missed You” Movie Review
Oh Sees bring massive tour to Le National, squeaky toys and all
What better way to stave off the increasingly colder weather for a night than with not one, but two fiery experimental rock sets? Le National was treated to an evening of heat on Oct. 15th, as long-running garage punk outfit Oh Sees (formerly Thee Oh Sees) brought their colossal 2019 tour to town. A crowd made up of both newcomers and die-hard Oh Sees followers transformed into a sea of moshers and crowdsurfers amid an explosion of synths and thunderous bass – enough to test the boundaries of your favourite concert earplugs.
Opener Prettiest Eyes set the tone for the night as concertgoers filtered in. The relatively sparse crowd filled out rapidly as soon as the LA-based post-industrial group kicked off a set full of stage work from drummer and vocalist Pachy García, hair flips from keyboardist Paco Casanova, and bass acrobatics from Marcos Rodríguez. Their set was tight, fast-paced and energetic. During “Strange Distance”, García stood up above his drumkit, lit up by a spotlight on an otherwise darkened stage, and delivered the opening lines of the thrumming track with vampiric flair. “It Cost’s to Be Austere” saw Rodríguez demonstrating the versatility of the bass, first thrashing out riffs by himself, then thrusting the bass into the audience for some free-form noise and even laying it on García’s kit to be drummed on. By the time they left the stage, the crowd was loud, lively, and looking forward to the arrival of the headlining act.
Although initially hampered by persistent sound issues (during which they provided a lovely bluesy shuffle for the sound techs to scramble to), Oh Sees did not waste any time delivering their signature blend of garage punk, experimental sound, psych rock, and custom weirdness to the crowd. Opening the set with “I Come From the Mountain”, the group made a vivid sonic and visual impression. Frontman John Dwyer led the group with precision and unrelenting frenetic energy, pulling riffs out of his guitar (a clear ECG with Dungeons & Dragons-inspired knobs, no less) with the fluidity of a lifelong performer. Oh Sees has existed in some form for decades. The current iteration featuring dual drummers Dan Rincon and Paul Quattrone brings both the noise and the creative musicianship to the forefront. Bassist Tim Hellman kept the thunderous lines coming, and Tomas Dolas provided ample outer-space vibes on keys.
The crowd – seemingly entirely made up of crowdsurfers at times – was taken on a lively journey throughout Oh Sees’ extensive catalogue, with special attention paid to tracks off their latest album Face Stabber. “The Daily Heavy” gave Dwyer a chance to show off his skill vocally, on the guitar, and with the liberal use of squeaky toy that kicks off the track; “Nite Expo” switched up the groove, but lost none of the energy. Rincon and Quattrone were mesmerizing to watch, playing many segments in perfect unison at the front of the stage (and producing an incredible level of sound – having two drummers is serious fun).
It’s clear that Dwyer’s passion for experimentation and variety is still going strong, and audiences are still more than receptive to his punk-propelled brand of sonic whimsy. From the plethora of pedals and effects on display, to the aforementioned squeaky toy, to an extended solo on an aerophone, it was an exercise in toeing the line between humour and deep, pulsing darkness – aggression meets playfulness.
Oh Sees and Prettiest Eyes will continue their tour south of the border, but at the end of the night Dwyer promised that he’s bringing his show back to Montreal in 11 months. Until then, cue up Face Stabber, and get your crowdsurfing moves ready.
Renita Bangert is the host of 5 Songs With…, the talk show that’s part music history, part trivia, and part play-along mystery. Tune in each week to listen to 5 different songs and explore the unexpected ways they connect. Tuesdays at 3PM EST, on CJLO 1690AM!
Airbnb Class Action, Federal Election Campaign In Quebec, Arrests Following Take-Down Of Child Porn Website
Ahmad Moujtahed
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LOCAL
A class action was launched against Airbnb when a plaintiff alleged that Airbnb violated Quebec law by showing consumers one price, then added 13% to 17% in the form of "service fees”.
The class action was authorized in Superior Court for the purpose of reaching a settlement that would consist of a maximum credit of $45 being issued for use on the Airbnb platform to those users in Quebec who were charged fees higher than those posted on the websites.
The class action stated that users covered by the settlement would be “every person residing in Quebec, who between August 2014, and June 2019, made a booking for anywhere in the world, for a purpose other than business travel, using Airbnb’s websites and who paid a price higher than the price initially advertised by Airbnb”. A hearing will take place in Montreal on Dec. 3 to authorize the settlement.
NATIONAL
Before next week’s federal election and on day 36 of the election campaign, three federal party leaders campaigned in Quebec.
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau held a morning appearance at Montreal's botanical garden, and then made his way east to Sherbrooke while pausing in cafes and pubs along the way. N-D-P Leader Jagmeet Singh made a pilgrimage to Hudson where his late predecessor Jack Layton was raised.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer campaigned in Saint-Jérôme, Que with former Olympic champion and Conservative candidate Sylvie Fréchette.
Meanwhile, a new poll by Nanos Research found that 39.5% of Montrealers plan to vote for the Liberals in the Oct. 21 federal election. The report was made for CTV News and the Globe and Mail.
INTERNATIONAL
Following the take-down of one of the world's biggest child porn websites, more than 300 people have been arrested across 38 countries, including Canada and the US.
The site, named Welcome to Video, had thousands of hours of video footage involving child abuse. Prosecutors said the site had offered videos of sex acts involving children, infants and toddlers – and specifically asked users not to upload videos featuring adults.
About 23 children have been rescued from active abuse situations.The joint task force is continuing to trace other children seen in the videos
Festival Du Nouveau Cinema Programming Director Zoé Protat Discusses the Ins-And-Outs of Cinema Event Hosting (Audio)
For At The Movies Remi was able to chat with Festival Du Nouveau Cinema (FNC) Programming Director Zoé Protat. Many topics were discussed, including how films get selected for the festival, major thematics of this year's films, rewarding aspects about the job, and how exclusive movies from streaming-only services make their way to the festival. We would like to thank Zoé for taking the time to answer these questions and wish her and her team a successful start to this year's FNC Festival running from October 9th to October 20th.
For more information visit them online at https://nouveaucinema.ca/en.
Remi is the host of At The Movies which features everything new and noteworthy in the world of cinema. The show goes live every Tuesday at 8:00 AM.
Antoni in Montreal's Kitchen
Antoni Porowski returned home to a final sold-out night of his book tour to promote his first ever cookbook, Antoni in the Kitchen that was released last month. Known for his role as the cooking expert on the Netflix reboot of Queer Eye,Antoni is also an actor, model and self-taught chef. Born and raised in Montreal, his family and friends came out to the show to support him; making the night special not just for the audience, but for Antoni too.
The event took place at the Rialto Theatre, individuals who purchased tickets for the event received a copy of the cookbook. The doors opened at 6 p.m., but by 7:15 p.m. people were still piling with a large crowd around the bar. Once everyone found a seat in the general admission venue, a local volunteer from the Mile End Mission came out to present their charity which had partnered with Antoni and then welcomed him to the stage to a roaring crowd.
Antoni ran out and you could't help but smile,the cheerful cook was clearly as excited as us. A quick roll call showed that people from across Canada and even from across the border were at the show. Antoni introduced and greeted some of his family and friends sitting in the front section of the floor, and pledged to match the rooms total donations to the Mile End Mission by the end of the night. The stage had a cooking station on the left and two armchairs on the right, and as Antoni threw his iconic towel over his shoulder it was clear which was going to be used first.
With the help of an audience member named Darcy, Antoni whipped up one of his favourite recipes from the book, the Hi-Lo Poutine. It's a classic poutine in structure, but with a couple extra ingredients and Tater Tots, Anotoni made this dish unique. As they cooked, Antoni interviewed Darcy, discovering she is an interior design student who has never cooked anything that wasn't in a box. He showed her the ropes of dicing vegetables and making your own gravy. After they tasted their creation, he gifted her with two more copies of the book. After they finished cooking, Antoni made Darcy promise to cook for her mom more often. He explained to the crowd how cooking isn't as hard as the world makes it seem. You just gotta "Learn the rules, and then you can f*** with them!".
The second half of the night was just as entertaining. Local personality, and mother of a picky eater, Julie Snyder, sat down with Antoni for an interview. We learnt about his behind the scenes experience on Taylor Swift's “You Need To Calm Downâ€Â music video shoot, the inspiration behind the cookbook, and the highs and lows of going on this book tour. As the night approached its end, a crew member handed Julie some questions from the audience, these were much sillier in comparison. If he was stuck in a room for 24 hours, he would pick Tan, from the Fab Five, to be stuck with him. If he was gifted a Corgi he would name it Flufferoni, and the three restaurants he recommends from his past in Montreal: Stash Café, Garde Manger, and, the iconic, Joe Beef.
Antoni thanked the crowd and his family for their support as the hour came to an end. With a final wave goodbye, and to a standing ovation, Antoni left the stage. Antoni took a simple cookbook tour and turned it into a quality event, filled with laughs, witty stories and some deep moments.
Extinction Rebellion Protests, Toronto Restaurant Closes After Owners Receive Death Threats, Turkey's Military Offensive In Syria
Ahmad Moujtahed
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LOCAL
More than 100 protestors joined a climate change demonstration in downtown Montreal outside Place du Canada. Blocking traffic during the height of the afternoon rush hour, protestors refused to move to the sidewalk when told by police.This prompted the arrest of about 40 people.
The demonstration was part of a series of protests Extinction Rebellion has staged this week. Extinction Rebellion is a climate change activist group, which formed in the U.K. in October 2018. The group says achieving "climate justice" will require continued, massive political action.
Another protest linked to Extinction Rebellion happened earlier this week at the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. According to CBC, three people from the group climbed the bridge in a protest which prompted provincial police to close the structure off to traffic.
NATIONAL
A Syrian family says it is shutting down its Toronto restaurant after receiving death threats. The Al-Soufi family, owners of Soufi's restaurant located in downtown Toronto said in a statement that the magnitude of hate they are facing is overwhelming.
The messages of hate and death threats sent to the restaurant started last week, when the owners confirmed on Facebook that a member of their family had been involved in a protest at a Maxime Bernier speaking event at Mohawk College in Hamilton on September 29.
In a video that went viral, protesters at the event could be seen blocking people from entering the building and harassing an elderly couple. A since-deleted Facebook post from the Syrian restaurant expressed sincere regret about the situation that occurred.
The first to comment on the restaurant closure was Justin Trudeau, who commented “hatred and threats of violence have no place in Canada. We are always stronger together than when we're divided.”
INTERNATIONAL
Syrian and Turkish forces have begun a military offensive against the the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
At least two civilians had died after Turkish warplanes bombed parts of north-eastern Syria, according to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The offensive was launched just days after President Donald Trump withdrew US troops from the border area. Turkey's President said the operation was to create a "safe zone" cleared of Kurdish militias.
FNC 2019: Highlighting this Year’s Gems in Film
A Hidden Life
For fans of visual storytelling, the FNC is going to be showing A Hidden Life from director Terrence Malick. As always with his work, here Malick provides a meditative and profoundly humanist journey. This specific film depicts an Austrian Farmer caught between his deepest convictions and the desire to protect his family, This is inspired by the true story of Franz Jägerstätter, who risked capital punishment in refusing to pledge allegiance to Hitler during World War II. This is a deep reflective meditation on life and faith within a love story, potentially being the richest romance tale from Malick to date. A story like this, which depicts conflict in the face of hate, is this is exactly what the world needs at this time.
Screening on October 20th, 15H00 at Cinema Imperial.
Blood Quantum
Coming off of positive reviews from TIFF 2019 At Midnight, Blood Quantum from director Jeff Barnaby hopes to provide some thrills and chills to this year’s festival. On Mi’kmaq reserve Red Crow, bizarre occurrences such as dead fish coming back to life are puzzling local residents. Soon their community is invaded by white survivors whom they must protect from the dead. Barnaby uses the zombie genre to create a twisted story line that is at times dark, while altogether having something to say about present day issues facing indigenous communities.
Screening on October 17th, 19H00 at Cineplex Odeon Quartier Salle 14 / October 20th, 20H45 at Cinéma Du Parc Salle 3.
Nail In the Coffin: The Fall And Rise of Vampiro
Being a big fan of documentaries this one was suggested to me as one not to miss. Finding common ground with both documentary watchers and wrestling fanatics, Nail in The Coffin: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro from director Michael Paszt is sure to bring in a wide target audience. The documentary follows Ian Richard Hodgkinson, otherwise known by ring alias Vampiro, a self-described punk-rock character who’s had his fair share of challenges. He shares his story in this gut-wrenching yet inspiring tale. From his time inside and outside the ring, being a bodyguard for Milli Vanilli, and his time in Montreal, perhaps his greatest challenge lies outside the ring as the documentary captures the difficulties of raising his daughter while maintaining career balance. Keep your eyes peeled for an interview within the coming weeks on CJLO’s online magazine.
Screening on October 11th, 19H10 at Cineplex Odeon Quartier Salle 10 / October 12th, 17H15 at Cinema Du Parc 3.
Take Shelter
Living in this era of environmental concerns, Take Shelter from director Jeff Nichols might be the movie that we all need to focus on right now. Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon) is a family man that is suffering from depression and is haunted by apocalyptic visions. His wife (Amy Adams) and friends think that he needs to seek help, but he decides instead to build a bunker in his backyard. This deep dive into eco-anxiety helps to speak about the current climate concerns without indulging in climate change denial or descending into the madness of associated debates. Built on breathtaking visuals, this film is sure to spark a new round of environmental discussion which we are in dire need of. The screening will be introduced by Luc Ferrandez and followed by a discussion about eco-anxiety with Laure Waridel (eco-sociologist, co-founder of Équiterre, writer, and speaker).
Screening on October 15th, 18H00 at Cineplex Odeon Quartier Salle 17.
Marriage Story
Since I live in a non-Netflix household, I am ecstatic to get to see Marriage Story on the big screen. This exclusive Netflix film from director Noah Baumbach is based on his own divorce from Jennifer Jason Lee. While it may not be the feel good movie of the year as it examines a spiraling couple, the film finds a groove between the harsh and the bittersweet moments of a relationship. The couple in question are played by non-other than Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, who play Nicole and Charlie in this frenzied relationship. With these two powerful lead performances already garnering praise around film festivals and sure to be talked about during award season, Marriage Story starts out with a postmortem relationship that has descended into disappointment and frustration before taking a look back at its bittersweet early moments.
Screening on October 14th, 16H30 at Cinéma Impérial / October 18th, 19h00 at Cinéma Du Musée.
Remi is the host of At The Movies which features everything new and noteworthy in the world of cinema. The show goes live every Tuesday at 8:00 AM.
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